Flagstaff



Patented May 16, 1950 omreo sures PATENT OFFICE FLAGSTAFF Braiilio liionicio Diaz, Brawley, cam.

Applicatiomfanuary 10, 1948,-'Serial.N0. 1,631

3 Claims. 1

This invention relates to .fiagstaffs, and .more specifically contemplatesrotary supporting means for a flag adapted for assembly on the upper end of :a "permanently mounted .pole or shaft to assure the full lateral extension .of the flag at :all times.

While flagstafis incorporating rotary supporting or retainingmeans for a flag are well known in the art, such devices either do not provide efficient means for raising :or lowering the flag or, by failing 'to afford corresponding movement of the lines, by 'which the flag is raised and lowered, around the pole as the .flag "is variously directed in accordance with the vagaries of the *wind, largely obviate the efficacy of the supporting means. It iscommon practice to provide two lines, one being connected to the lower corner of the flag for flowering the same, and the other attached to the upper corner of the :fla-g andlextended over a pnlleyjour-nalled in the upper :end of the pole .for raising the flag, both lines hang- .ing together in contiguous relationship adjacent the bottom of the pole for manual manipulation, the lower ends of the line usually being attached together. To prevent the vertical lines from becoming entangled and'to maintain the elevated position of the .flag, means are provided at the bottom of the pole for securing the lines, in adjusted relationship. The embodiment of a rotary support of the flag at the upper end of the pole in devices of this type will not permit the flag to freely swing about the pole, due to the .restraint imposed by the anchored lines depending therefrom.

A principal obi-cot of the present invention is to provide afiagstaif incorporating means for the support of a ,ilag from a staff, :as well as means tor raising and lowering the flag, which are adapted to rotate about the staff so as to permit the full extension :of the flag successively in different directions solely in response to the urge of a variable wind.

Another object is to provide ina device of the character alluded to, means for raising lowering the flag comprising separate lines continuously spaced apart and incapable-of en-tanglement regardless of their movement with respect to the flagpole or of the various directions toward which the flag isshifted.

Another object is to provide a hollow flagstaff carrying adjacent the upper .end of the same .a pulley assembly for a line connected in one end to the upper corner of the flag, the opposite end of the line hanging within the bore of the staff for the suspension of a member of sufficient 2 weight to raise the flag, in combination with .a second line disposed exterior-1y of the staff and suspended from the lowercorner of the flag .-for .lowering the latter in opposition to the gravitational urge of the weight.

Numerous other-objects and salient advantages of my invention, such for example as simplicity of construction, economy of manufacture, ease of operation, the provision of means for maintaining the lower corner of the flag in predetermined spaced relationship with respect to the axis of the pole without restraining its movement about the pole in response to re-direction of the flag by the wind, .as well :as adaptability for incorporation of the principal features hereof in flagstaffs tilted with respect to the vertical, will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon an examination of the following description read in the light of the accompanying drawings, which:

Fig. 1 a broken elevation of a .flagstaif embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section through the upper end of the staff, illustrating particularly the rotatable supporting assembly for the flag;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional View through the standard at the upper end of the staff depicting the flag-supporting mechanism in plan.

Referring to the drawings more in detail, the numerals of which indicate similar parts throughout the several views, 5 designates generally a tubular flagstafi composed of several sections of pipe or the like, connected in axial alignment by reducing couplings (not shown) and vertically disposed with the lower enlarged section '6 of the staff mounted in the ground or other suitable base. The upper end of the uppermost section 1 is diametrically reduced to form a shoulder 8 for the support of an encompassing bearing race assembly 9. A cap, generally indicated at Ill, comprises a flat top ll and a circular flange [2 depending from the periphery of the top, the internal diameter of which is enlarged slightly at its lower end as at It to "snugly encircle the outer element of the bearing race 9, whereby the cap .1 I! is rotatablysupported by the race. Mounted upon the flat top H of the cap is a standard 14 upon which a ball, eagle or other decoration may be supported. A radial slot 15 formed in th periphery of the top I! and upper edge of flange 12 accommodates the inner arc of a pulley 1.9 journalled upon a shaft 23 carried in the sides of a pulley guard :2! mounted upon the flange 12 at opposite sides respectively of slot 15. The

upper arc of the pulley l9 extends above the corresponding surface of the top I! of the cap, and the outer arc of the pulley extends laterally of flange [2. In diametric alignment with slot 15 is a hole 33 through standard In, at the opposite end of which is a second slot 34 in the top ll of the cap. A second pulley I8 is journalled on a shaft l1 journalled in lugs !6, carried by the underside of the top adjacent the peripheral edge of the latter diametrically opposed to the pulley IS, with its upper are extending above the top.

The outer ends of the sides of guard 2! are bridged by a transverse element adapted to over-' hang and enclose the outer arc of the pulley H! for the purpose of retaining a flag-supporting line 22 in operative engagement with the latter pulley. Line 22, attached at one end to an eyelet 23 carried in an upper corner of a flag 24, is extended through guard 2| and over pulley l9, thence radially inward through the hole 33 and over pulley IS with its opposite end depending from the latter pulley through the bore of the tubular staff 5. The line 22 is of a length to extend from slightly below the pulley l9 to a point closely adjacent the bottom of the bore of staff 5. To the latter end of line 22, a lead weight 25 is permanently secured.

An annular cover or shield 35 having 21. peripheral depending flange is integrally formed with and encircles standard l4, being of a diameter greater than that of the top I I so as to over-- hang the edge of the latter. Thus the cover 35 is rotatable with the cap l and functions to protect the pulleys I8 and I9, their bearings and the bearing race 9 from the elements.

A second line 26 is attached to the lower corner of flag 24 so as to hang freely, when the flag is raised to the top of the staff, exteriorly of the latter, terminating adjacent the ground level for easy access by the person charged with the duty of raising and lowering the flag. It will be understood that the lead member 25 suspended by the inner line 22 is of a weight greater than the combined weight of flag 24 and lines 22 and 26 by an amount sufficient to overcome the friction of the pulleys l8 and I9 on their bearings.

In order to maintain the lower corner of the flag in predetermined spaced relationship with respect to staif 5, a ring 27 loosely encircles the staff. A link 28 carrying a conventional snap hook 29 at one end is releasably connected to the lower corner of the flag. The opposite end of link 28 is formed to permanently and loosely engage the ring 21. Thus the ring is freely rotatable about the staff, and the link 28 may freely slide around the ring.

A box 30 or other receptacle is provided at the base of the staff to accommodate the line 26 when the flag is lowered, as will appear.

The operation and utility of my invention is further briefly described as follows: The flag is maintained in an elevated position at the upper end of the staff by the tension upon the line 22 imposed by the weight 25. With the entire pulley and flag-supporting assembly rotatably carried by the bearings 9, it will be appreciated that air pressure against the flag tending to variously direct the flag to different radii of the staff will cause the rotation of the cap and pulley assembly, as well as the coincident rotation of ring 21 or the sliding movement of the link 28 around the ring and thus assures the full extension of the flag from the staff at all times, thereby obviating any possibility of the flag becoming wrapped around the staff.

Due to the location of the line 22 within the bore of the staff, and of the free and unrestrained suspension of the other line 26 exteriorly of the staff, entanglement of the lines incident to rotation of the flag-supporting assembly is likewise obviated.

The flag is lowered merely by manually applying sufficient tension upon the line 26 to overcome the gravitational urge of the weight 25, the tension being transmitted through the line 26, the tape 3| bordering the inner edge of the flag and through line 22. It will be appreciated that where, as in the embodiment illustrated, the staff is formed of several sections 6'! of different diameters, the ring 21 is of a diameter to freely pass over the larger section 6 during the lowering operation. When the flag is lowered to the ground level, the lines 22 and 26 are disengaged therefrom, as is also the link 28, whereupon the flat-engaging end of the line 22 is connected to a stationary attaching expedient 32 mounted at the bottom of the staff so as to maintain the position of the line 22 and elevated position of weight 25 for subsequent re-attachment and elevation of the flag.

The raising of the flag requires merely the reassembly of the flag between the ends of the lines 22 and 26 and connection of link 28 to the lower corner of the flag. Release of the line 26 will thereupon permit the gravitation of the weight to return the flag to its uppermost position. The flag may be secured at half-mast by tying or otherwise connecting the intermediate reach of the line 26 to the mounting 32.

While I have shown and described but one embodiment of my invention, it will be appreciated that numerous changes in size, design, shape, number and proportion of the various parts may be made, that for example the rotary cap in may be diametrically reduced for support by a bearing located within the bore of the upper end of the staff so as to conserve material and reduce bulk of this assembly, that a rotary retainer may be provided to encircle the lower end of the staff for the attachment of line 26 so as to permit the latter to follow the flag around the staif as the wind shifts while minimizing whipping of the line as might occur in a strong wind-without departing from the spirit of my invention as defined by the appended claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device for supporting a flag, a hollow staff, a cap member, means to rotatably support said member on the upper end of said staff, a pair of pulleys journalled in said member and offset to opposite sides of the axis of said staff, and a line extending over said pulleys having one end connected to an upper portion of the flag to be supported and the opposite end of said line extending into the bore of said staff, and a weight connected to the lower end of said line to opposethe weight of said flag and balance said member on said staff.

2. In a device for supporting a flag, a hollow stafi, a cap member, means to rotatably support said member on the upper end of said staif, a pair of pulleys journalled in said member and offset to opposite sides of the axis of said staff, a line extending over said pulleys having one end connected to an upper portion of the flag to be supported and the opposite end of said line extending into the bore of said staff, a weight coniiected to the last-named end of said line to elevate said flag in response to gravitation of the weight,- and a second line connected to the lower portion of the flag to lower the latter in opposition to the weight, the length of said first line between said weight and said flag being substantially equal to the height of said staif.

3. In a device for supporting a flag, a hollow staff, a cap member rotatably supported on the upper end of said staff, a pair of pulleys journalled in said member, a line extending over said pulleys having one end disposed exteriorly of the staff for attachment to the flag to be suspended and the other end extendin into the bore of the staff, a weight connected to the last-named end 15 6 portion of the flag and disposed throughout its length exteriorly of the staff for lowering the flag in opposition to said weight, said pulleys being offset to opposite sides of the axis of said staff whereby said member is balanced, by the weight of the lines, flag and Weight, on said staff for free rotative movement.

BRAULIO DION'ICIO DIAZ.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name I Date 957,606 Hendricks et a1. May 10, 1916 964,035 Lombard July 22, 1910 1,194,489 Earle Aug. 15, 1916 2,377,219 Ellis May 29, 1945 

